Sir Thomas Isaac Birkin, 1st Baronet (15 February 1831 – 16 January 1922) was a British lace manufacturer, living in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

Early life

He was born on 15 February 1831, the second son of

Richard Birkin Richard Birkin (6 July 1805 – 10 October 1870) was a British lace manufacturer. Early life Richard Birkin was born in Belper, Derbyshire, on 6 July 1805, the eldest son of Richard Birkin, a calico handloom weaver, and started working in Strutt ...

(1805–1870), who founded the family lace-making business.

Career

After his father retired in 1856, his sons Richard Jr and Thomas took over, until Richard Jr retired in 1862, and Thomas was left in sole charge. By 1898, the business had been split into two companies, Birkin and Co (fancy lace), and T. I. Birkin and Co (lace curtains), both headquartered at Broadway, Nottingham. They had expanded internationally, with large factories in Saxony and

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...

, US. Birkin was a magistrate, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, of which he was the High Sheriff in 1892. He was a director of the Great Northern Railway.

Personal life

He married Harriet Tebbutt (1835-1921), on 9 October 1856, and they had nine children: * Sir Thomas Stanley Birkin, 2nd Baronet (1857–1931) * Sir Alexander Russell Birkin, 4th Baronet (1861–1942) * Lt-Col Richard Leslie Birkin (1863–1936) * Harriet Maud Birkin (1864–1951) * Colonel Charles Wilfred Birkin (1865–1932); married American Claire Lloyd Howe. One of their daughters was English socialite Freda Dudley Ward, who was the mistress of the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

prior to his meeting

Wallis Simpson Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Spencer and then Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986) was an American socialite and the wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (former King Edward VIII). Their intentio ...

. * Hilda Mary Birkin (1868–1926) * Major Philip Austen Birkin (1869–1951) * Major Harry Laurence Birkin (1872–1951); married Olive Russell (1882-1960). Grandfather of

Jane Birkin Jane Mallory Birkin ( ; 14 December 1946 – 16 July 2023) was a British and French actress, singer, and designer. She had a prolific career as an actress, mostly in French cinema. A native of London, Birkin began her career as an actress, ...

and David Birkin. Great-grandfather of Kate Barry,

Charlotte Gainsbourg Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg (; born 21 July 1971) is a British and French actress and singer. She is the daughter of English actress and singer Jane Birkin and French singer Serge Gainsbourg. After making her musical debut with her father on the ...

and

Lou Doillon Lou Doillon (born 4 September 1982) is a French-British singer and actress. She is the daughter of French director Jacques Doillon and English actress and singer Jane Birkin. Doillon started her career as a model during her teenage years and ...

. * Ethel Lillian Birkin (1874–1972) He died on 16 January 1922, and is buried in the grade II listed Birkin Mausoleum, a small classical temple built in 1921 of Portland stone in Wilford Hill Cemetery,

West Bridgford West Bridgford () is a town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Rushcliffe, in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies south of Nottingham city centre, east of Wilford, north of Ruddington and west of Radcliffe-on-Trent ...

, Nottingham.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birkin, Thomas Isaac 1831 births 1922 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

High sheriffs of Nottinghamshire Deputy lieutenants of Nottinghamshire English justices of the peace